Hose connection and method of



I 2,- J6 J0 sept. 12, 1939 J. FENTRESS 2,172,532

HOSE CONNECTION AMD METHOD OF MAKING SAME Filed Dec. l5, 19:56v

IIIIIF PatentedA Sept. 12,-1939 UNITED STATES HOsE CONNECTION AND METHOD or MAKING SAME James Fentress, Hubbard Woods, 'Ill., assignor to Chicago Metal Hose Corporation, Maywood, Ill., a corporation of Illinois =Thisinvention relates to a new and improved 'coupling construction for conduits or flexible hose, and to the method of assembling the coulrig"vv upon the hose end.

1 It* is-an object of the invention to provide a `-fcoupling construction for ilexible conduits, hose or the like which may be readily constructed and v"appliedto the hose end and which, when 4in-as- `sembled position upon the hose, provides a satisfactory and leak-proof connection anda connection which will resist accidental withdrawal of the hose end from the coupling as 'the assembly is subjected to pressure and use. A further object is 'to provide a new and improved method for assembling such coupling upon the hose whereby to form the hose connection.

More specifically the invention contemplates a connection of the type wherein the coupling is 4contracted into tight gripping engagement with the hose, corrugations vbeing provided upon the coupling to produce a tight gripping engagement with the hose and a leak-proof joint.' An important object of the invention is to'provide ln the construction means for reducing the external diameter of one hose section within the coupling and for increasing the external diameter of an adjacent hose section within the coupling and for locking the section of increased diameter against a suitable abutment formed-upon the coupling body whereby to prevent withdrawal of the hose from the coupling. Still further objects Y are to provide for -the thrusting of the hosesection of increased diameter into tight and leakproof gripping engagement withthe coupling body, and to provide an efficient sealing means at the extreme hose end.

In certain forms of the invention additional means, such as a suitably formed rib or ring member, may be provided in anchored relatio'n to the coupling 4and thehose for furthersecuring the latter against withdrawal from the coupling lunder conditions of pressure and` use.

Still other objects and advantages of the in'-` vention will be apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein certain preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated and ides'cribed.

Ingthe drawing, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout:

Fig. 1 is an exploded sectional view showing the Fig. 2 is a View illustrating the contraction ofY the coupling body. upon .the hose.

i Fig. 3 is a sectionaliview showing the com- Application December 15, 1936, Serial No. 116,023 12, claims. (o1. :e9-1,57)

Figs. 5 and 6 are views similar to Fig. 4 but showing further modified forms of` couplings, and

Figs. 7 and 8 are perspective views of split ring members adapted for use in the coupling construction of Fig. 6.

Referring'rst to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, wherein' one preferred form of the 'invention is' set lforth for purposes of illustration, the coupling comprises a main cylindrical body member Ii) adapted to be initially assembled upon the hose lend, as illustrated in Fig. 1. -In this instance the hose or flexible conduit II is illustrated as composed of a piece of annular corrugated tubing I2 enclosed in a suitable covering such as a fabriclcovering I3 and an outer covering I4 of metallic braid, but it is to be understood that various forms of hose or flexible metallic conduit may be employed. 'Ihe coupling main body member is preferably threaded along its entire bore as indicated at I5 and on its exterior surface at I6. The bore of the coupling body member is sufficiently large so that the hose end may be readily slippedinto position within the coupling as shown in Fig. l.

After the positioning of the hose end within the main body member of the'coupling, the outer i end I1 of the body member is compressed or contracted into gripping engagementwith the hose as indicated in Fig. 2. This contractingoperation may be eil'ected by `forcing a split die I8 longitudinally of the coupling 4body .a given distance whereby to deform and contract the end- `II of the body into gripping engagement with the hose, or other suitable contracting means such as compression rollersmay be employed, as shown for example in my copending application Serial No. 78,507. The contraction of the coupling body member upon the hose causes those convolutlons and caused.. to bite into the metal braid I4 on the outer" surface thereof whereby 'to hold the hose firmly .within the coupling and to produce a iuidtight seal. The contraction of the outer end of the coupling body also forms a shoulder in the inner bore ofl the coupling at the point indicated by the numeral 22;

After-tbe member' operation the threads 25 of the clamping member are engaged with the threads I5 of the-coupling body and the clamping' member rotated to bring its vface 26 into engagement with` the extreme end -21 of the hose. Continued rotation of the contracting'operation the clamping havingfgthreads 25 ont.- the outer" Vpe'x'iiiln-y hereogisfltll-readedv into the end of, the coupling bodyas'sh'own in Fig. 3. In .thisclamping member causes the end convolutions 28 of the metal tubing to be axially compressed and at the same time increased in outer diameter whereby to thrust the hose wall and the metal braid I4 into tight gripping engagement with the threads `I5 of the-coupling body. The convolutions 28 of increased diameter are brought into locking engagement against the shoulder 22- of the coupling body, and at the same time a tight and effective seal isv produced between the end face 26 of the clamping member and the extreme end 21 of the hose. After the clamping member has been rotated to assembled position, a suitable locking member :30 may be threaded upon the threads I6 of the coupling body whereby to lock the clamping member in adjusted position. Packing 3| may be arranged between the clamping member and the locking member to further seal the coupling against fluid leaks. The clamping member may also be threaded as indicated at 32 to facilitate the application of the coupling connection to other hose pieces or couplings.

It will be seen that the character of the coupling construction and its method of assembly are such that a fiuid-tight seal for the hose is produced, and at the same time the hose is positively locked in position Within the coupling body whereby to preclude its accidental withdrawal in use even when the assembly is subjected to relatively high pressures. The radial compression of the compressed tubing convolutions 20 and the radial expansion of the expanded tubing convolutions 28 causes the hose wall to be thrust y into tight gripping engagement with the threads I5 of the coupling body, producing a fluid-tight seal and a connection which resists withdrawal vof the hose from the coupling. The convolutions 20 are reduced to a diameter smaller than that of the normal` convolutions 2| and the-convolutions 28 are expanded to a diameter greater than the normal diameter. The convolutions 28 are thus rmly interlocked against the shoulder 22 formed in the coupling body by the contracting operation, positively preventing withdrawal of seal at the extremehose end. v

In Fig. 4 there is illustrated an embodiment ofthe invention generally similar to that'previously described except that the coupling body has its bore threads I5 cut away at the point 35 whereby to produce a more pronounced locking shoulder at the point 22. Also the cut away portion 35 of the coupling produces an enlarged chamber into which -the end convolutions of thel -hose may be thrust as the clamping member is moved against the hose end. In this instance the hose II is illustrated as having an inner core of spiral wound tubing 3B rather than of corrugated tubing as in the previously described embodiment of the invention;

.In Fig. 5 there is illustrated another-embodimerit of the invention, also generally 'similar to the embodiment of Figs. 1, 2 and A3, except that ahelical rib 40 is formed on the inner bore of the coupling body in proximity to the shoulder portion 22. In this instance the core of -the hose may be helical corrugated tubing. The rib 40 may be formed upon the coupling body as the latter is initially cast or machined.' In assembling the coupling connection in this form of the invention, the covering members I3 and,v

I4 of the hose are removed from the hose end portion whereby to leave the extreme end convolutions 4I exposed. 'Ihe hose is then arranged within the coupling body and the rib 40 threaded onto the'spiral convolutions 4I a suitable distance as into engagement with the end 'of the covering material. The portion I1 of the coupling body is then contracted into gripping engagement with the hose, as previously described, whereby to form the shoulder 22 and to grip the hose tightly within the coupling. Thereafter the.

In Fig'. 6 there is illustrated still another em- I* bodiment of the invention. In this instance a split ring member is used as a supplementary locking? means in-place of the rib l0 as in Fig. 5, and the threads of the coupling bore are also cut away at 35 as in the embodiment of Fig. 4. In ass'emblingthis form of construction the covering material of the hose is iirst removed to expose the extreme end convolutions 'of thev tubing' as described with reference to Fig. 5.'

'Ihe locking-ring 45 is thenarranged in position upon the tubing after which the coupling body portion I1 is contracted and the clamping member brought into-engagement with the hose end as before. The core of the hose may be 'spirally or annularly formed as desired. In the event spiral wound or spirally corrugated tubing is employed,`the split ring will be of the type shown in Fig. 7, and canvbe threaded into position upon the tubing. In the event annularly corrugated tubing, as in Fig. 1, is, employed, a ring 46 split as indicated in Fig. 8 may be employed and arranged upon the tubing at the desired position. The ring locking member supplements the action of the locking shoulder 22, positively preventing withdrawal of the 'hose' from the coupling assembly. x

It is obvious 4 that various modiiications may be made in the embodiments of the invention heretofore described for purposes of illustration withoutdeparting from Vthe scope, or spirit of v the invention. The invention is therefore not lto be limited to theprecise embodimentslshown and described, but only as Vindicated in the following claims. f

'I'he invention is hereby claimed as follows:

1 In ahose connection, a cylindrical coupling body having an outer section thereof of less `internal diameter 'than` an adiacent inner secjtionfwhereby to provide a` shoulder therebetween, ahose arranged within the sections of' the coupling body, said hose having Aa core of multiple convolution metal tubing, the tubing convolutions within the outersection of the coupling body having been deformedto a diameter less than the normal diameter of the tubing convolutions and the convolutions within said adjacent inner section of the coupling body having been radially expanded to a diameter suiiiciently greater than normal to produce permanent deformation of the metal resulting in the positive locking of said last named convolutions against said coupling shoulder.

2. The method of making a hose connection which comprises arranging a hose having a core of multiple metal tubing convolutions within a cylindrical coupling body having outer and inner sections, contracting the outer section of the coupling body whereby to produce an internal shoulder on the coupling body between said outer and inner sections, simultaneously deforming the tubing convolutions within said outer coupling body section to a diameter less than lthe normal diameter of said convolutions, and increasing the diameter of the tubing convolutions within the inner section of said coupling body to a diameter sumciently greater than normal to produce permanent deformation of the metal resulting in the positive locking 'of said last named convolutions against the coupling shoulder.

3. The method of making a hose connection which comprises arranging a hose having a' core of multiple metal tubing convolutions within a cylindrical coupling body having outer andinner sections, contracting the outer section of the coupling body whereby to produce an internal shoulder on the coupling .body between said outer and inner sections, simultaneously deforming the tubing convolutions within said section to a diameter less than the normal diameter of said convolutions, and axially compressing a series of convolutions within the adjacent inner section of the coupling body whereby to thrust the hose wall into tight engagement against said inner coupling section and to increase the diameter of said axially' compressed convolutions-to a diameter greater than normal, the metal of said last named convolutions being permanently deformed to produce a positive locking of the vconvolutions against the coupling shoulder.

4. The method of making a hose connection which comprises arranging a locking ring upon a piece of tubing at an intermediate point thereon, arranging the tubing and ring within a cylindrical coupling body, compressing an outer portion of the coupling body into engagement with the tubing on one side of the ring, and expanding the tubing on the other side of the ring into engagement with an inner portion of the coupling body.

5. In a hose connection, a cylindrical coupling body having an outer section of reduced diameter and an adjacent inner section of larger diameter, a tubing arranged within the coupling having a section of reduced diameter within the outer section of the coupling body, and an adjacent section of larger diameter within the adjacent inner section of the coupling body, and a narrow ring provided as a separable element in locking engagement with the tubing and arranged thereon at a point between said coupling sections.

6. A hose connection as defined in claim 5 wherein the tubing is arranged with a series of helical convolutions andthe ring is of helical shape and arranged between said convolutions.

'7. A hose connection as defined in claim 5 wherein the tubing is arranged with a series of annular convolutions and the ring is of anl nular shape and arranged between said convolutlons.

8. vIn a hose connection, a cylindrical coupling member, a hose arranged within the coupling member, said coupling member having an outer section thereof of smaller diameter than van adjacent inner section and said hose having a section of less than normal `diameter arranged within the outer section of the coupling member and a section of greater than normal diameter arranged within the adjacent inner section of the coupling member, and a narrow annular interlocking member provided as a separable element arranged between said coupling member sections and anchored to the coupling member.

and to the hose.`

9. In a hose connection, a cylindrical coupling member, a hose arranged within the coupling member, said coupling member having an outer section thereof' of smaller diameter than an adjacent inner section, an abutment shoulder arranged between said sections, corrugations formed internally of both said coupling sections, said hose having a section of less than normal diameter arranged within the outer section of the coupling member and a section of greater than normal diameter arranged within the adjacent inner section of .the coupling member, and a narrow annular interlocking member provided as a separable element anchored to said abutment shoulder and to the hose.

10. In a hose connection, a cylindrical coupling member having an louter section thereof of smaller diameter than an adjacent inner section, a hose of convoluted tubing arranged within said coupling member, said hose having a section of smaller diameter arranged within the outer section of the coupling member and a section of larger` diameter arranged within the inner section of the coupling member, and an interlocking member anchored to the coupling niemf 11. A hose ,connection as dened in claim 1 y' 45 wherein a clamping member is provided threaded into the bore of the coupling body and engaging the radially expanded tubing convolutions to effect a seal therewith.

12. The method of making'a hose connection which comprises forming a projecting helical rib on the interior bore of a cylindrical coupling body, threading a section of spiral convoluted metal-tubing into the bore of the'k coupling body whereby to bring said rib to an intermediate portion on the tubing in threaded engagement with the convolutions thereof, contracting the coupling body section disposed outwardly of said rib whereby to produce an internal shoulder on the coupling body adjacent said rib, simultaneously deforming thel ,tubing convolutions within said outer coupling body section to a diameter less than the normal diameter of said convolutions, and increasing the diameter of the tubing convolutions within the section of said coupling body disposed inwardly of said rib and shoulder to a diameter sufficiently greater. than normal to produce permanent deformation of the metal resulting in the positive locking of said last named convolutions against the coupling shoulder and rib.

JAMES FENTRESS. 

